Nottingham City Council Flexible Eligibility Statement of Intent

Transcription

1 This statement sets out Nottingham City Council s flexible eligibility criteria for the ECO: Help to Heat programme April 2017 September It aims to help households living in fuel poverty, living on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of a cold home. 1) Introduction Low income and vulnerable households are at significant risk of falling into fuel poverty, becoming exposed to the effects of living in a cold home and the associated debt. To address this issue Nottingham City Council (NCC) will use the local authority flexible eligibility criteria to implement the Energy Company Obligation (ECO) 1 Affordable Warmth grant. This will allow NCC to deliver energy efficiency measures to fuel poor households not covered under the existing criteria, as well as to low income and vulnerable households. Improving homes to be more energy efficient, thereby reducing fuel bills and fuel poverty, is a fundamental element in improving Nottingham s housing stock. In addition, these measures will help meet Nottingham s Energy Strategy to achieve a 37.6% reduction in CO 2 emissions from domestic energy efficiency by Furthermore, the Joint strategic needs assessment identifies cold homes as a significant issue to the most vulnerable persons. Excess Winter Death (EWD) rates are a key indicator as to the impact the cold weather has on health. In Nottingham there are approximately 21% more deaths in winter than summer. Fuel poverty and poor housing is widely acknowledged as a key cause of EWD. Nottingham City Council aims to use the flexible eligibility criteria to reduce the cities EWD s. NCC has made considerable progress in reducing fuel poverty over the past few years, with the cities ranking improving from 2 nd highest English Core City at 2012/13 to 3 rd lowest at 2014/15 for low income to high cost households. This significant improvement is due to a number of projects implemented to reduce fuel poverty levels within the city. For example, delivery of the Nottingham Warm Zone by Nottingham Energy Partnership, installing 9,382 energy efficiency measures between 2009 and 2011; Greener HousiNG, jointly delivered by NCC and Nottingham City Homes, which has seen over 6,000 social and private properties benefit from subsidised energy saving measures. Furthermore, the creation of a not-for-profit energy company, Robin Hood Energy, which has seen a reduction in the cost of prepayment meters. Through the council s flexible eligibility NCC will aim to capitalise on the success of previous energy efficiency projects to target the remaining low income and vulnerable households. As part of the Nottingham City Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy : Happier Healthier Lives aims to: increase healthy life expectancy in Nottingham and make us one of the healthiest big cities 1 Further details about Flexible Eligibility are set out in the Government s Energy Company Obligation (ECO): Help to Heat Page 1 of 5

2 reduce inequalities in health by targeting the neighbourhoods with the lowest levels of healthy life expectancy The core strategy aims to meet these objectives by developing a programme of energy efficiency works, targeting poorly performing homes to reduce the health impacts from cold homes and fuel poverty. Therefore ECO Flexible Eligibility will directly contribute towards its achievement. Each resident will have their eligibility assessed against the NCC Flexible Eligibility criteria. NCC s referral of any household and subsequent inclusion in a Declaration made by NCC to a supplier will not guarantee installation of measures, as the final decision will depend on i) survey carried out by suppliers agents/contractors and installation costs calculated, ii) the energy savings that can be achieved for a property, and iii) whether suppliers have achieved their targets or require further measures to meet their ECO targets. 2) How the LA intends to identify eligible households NCC has set parameters to capture households that may benefit from the installation of measures under Flexible Eligibility as either those that are (a) living in fuel poverty (FP) or (b) living on a low income and vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home (LIVC). Details of how we identify solid wall properties as eligible for installation under the in-fill category is also outlined. The criteria used are as follows: (a) Criteria for identifying households in fuel poverty (FP) To identify a household as being in fuel poverty, NCC adopts the following approach and requires that the household must satisfy the following: Households need to meet Stage 1 (Low Income household threshold) criteria and one of the Stage 2 (household faces high energy costs) criteria. (1) Identifying low income households Referring to the Low Income High Cost indicators in Table 1, using the household makeup in column (i) we identify households with a remaining income (after paying the rent or mortgage, where applicable) as less than the figure in column (iii) per month as low income. Page 2 of 5

3 Table 1 Income thresholds broadly consistent with those used the Low Income High Costs indicator (2014) inflated to represent 2017/18 prices Household composition (i) Annual household Monthly household income (ii) income equivalent (iii) 1 adult (18 years and over) 8, and 1 child 11, and 2 children 14,400 1,200 and 3 children 17,300 1,440 and 4 or more children 20,100 1,680 2 adults (18 years and over) 14,600 1,220 and 1 child 17,400 1,450 and 2 children 20,200 1,680 and 3 children 23,100 1,930 and 4 or more children 25,700 2,140 * Annual household income after paying rent or mortgage, where applicable. (2) Identifying High Cost Households Due to the nature of the fuel poverty definition used for England, identifying high cost properties and combining it with information on that household s income is more effective in targeting the fuel poor than using income information alone. The Property s EPC rating of E, F or G Properties which have been classified as a category 1 hazard due to excess cold having been identified. (b) Criteria for identifying low income and vulnerability to cold (LIVC) To identify a household as low income and vulnerable, NCC adopts the following approach and require that the household must satisfy the following: (1) Meet the low income household threshold (Table 1); and (2) Determine that the householders are vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home. Vulnerable to the effects of living in a cold home The NICE guideline Excess winter deaths and illness and the health risks associated with cold homes states that: a wide range of people are vulnerable to the cold. This is either because of a medical condition, a disability, or personal circumstances. Households will qualify under the flexible eligibility criteria where they have one occupant or more who is vulnerable to the cold outlined in the NICE guideline and shown below: people with cardiovascular conditions Page 3 of 5

4 people with respiratory conditions (in particular, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and childhood asthma) people with mental health conditions people with disabilities older people (65 and older) households with young children (from new-born to school age) pregnant women We will utilise existing services such as the Healthy Housing Referral Service, which trains front line staff to identify vulnerable households, and Age UK housing services, but also welcome other referral routes. (3) Exceptional cases, which are brought to our attention, not meeting the requirements above, will be considered on a case by case basis. (c) Requirements for solid wall insulation in-fill projects For some solid wall insulation projects, certain properties may be classed as eligible based on the in-fill classification. NCC recognised the criteria as follows: Property Type Requirements In-fill available Project consisting of a pair of semi-detached houses or bungalows, or a building containing no more than two domestic premises. Project consisting of any premises that are contained in the same building (e.g. flats), immediately adjacent buildings (e.g. neighbouring properties) or in the same terrace. At least one of the twoproperties must be declared by the LA as FP or LIVC (i.e. 50% of the properties are FP or LIVC). At least two in three properties on the list must be declared by the LA as FP or LIVC (i.e. at least 66% of the properties are FP or LIVC). The other private property to which it is directly adjoined is eligible for solid wall insulation. The other (i.e. up to one third) of private properties in the project are eligible for solid wall insulation, provided they are either in the same building, an immediately adjacent building or in the same terrace as the ones identified as FP or LIVC. 3) Acting on behalf of another local authority We are not acting on behalf of another local authority. 4) Joint statement of intent We are not working in association with another local authority. Page 4 of 5

5 5) Governance ECO: Help to Heat programme April 2017 September 2018 is governed by Nottingham City Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy Energy sub-group. This group s role is to: To coordinate domestic energy efficiency projects across the city To reduce inequalities in health by targeting the neighbourhoods with the lowest levels of healthy life expectancy. (A) Local Authorities Declaration The declaration of households that meet the NCC s Flexible Eligibility criteria will be valid if signed by a representative from the Housing Strategy team on behalf of the local authority. housing.network@nottinghamcity.gov.uk 6) Referrals Additional referrals may come from various sources, including from our Healthy Housing Referral Service. Any undefined sources will be detailed within our Flexible Eligibility review and referrals subject to the same auditing processes. 7) Evidence, monitoring and reporting The number of households that are contacted and eligible for ECO Flexible Eligibility together with the number of ECO Flexible Eligibility funded measures installed and the number of homes improved will be recorded by Nottingham City Council. Nottingham City Council auditing of the eligibility of households will be assessed by a random sample of households on a post-installation basis. If a resident cannot provide the required evidence this will not affect their eligibility; however a high level of noncompliance will trigger a review of the Flexible Eligibility process. 8) Signature Signed by: [Enter name] Date: [Enter date] [Position] Nottingham City Council Page 5 of 5